Genbu's Play: The Untold Story
by Max the Transslendered
Summary: Ninety years before Yuuki Miaka entered the shijin tenchi no sho, Fushigi Yuugi's story really began with Okuda Takiko and her gathering of the seven stars of Genbu. This is her story. Notes: to understand this fic, you'll need to have seen or read about
1. Genbu's Play: Opening Credits and Video ...

Genbu: The Untold Story

**Genbu: The Untold Story**   
Opening Credit Scenes   
Written by: _[HolyUp Chacha][1] _  
Contributing Collaborator: _[Christopher Coyle][2]_   
Notes1: The Untold Genbu Story is inspired by Watase Yuu's _Fushigi Yuugi_, various people I've met both online and in real life, and, of course, my own strange imagination. This fanfic is written in a play or screen play-like format. I was fooling around with the format when I started writing this months ago and this one seemed like the best way to express the story.  
Notes2: The shichiseishi of Genbu are: Tomite, Hikitsu, Uruki, Hatsui, Inami, Urumiya and Namame. These were translated by [Miss Hoh][3], one of the absolute authorities on the stars of Genbu. The powers, however, are of my imagination or were altered from role play experiences; except for those of Hikitsu and Tomite. Watase Yuu had dibs on those ones. ;)   


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Genbu's contellation appears on a black background of stars. 

> Cue 

Itooshi Hito no Tameni non-lyrical mix. The constellation suddenly comes alive and the dual heads of Genbu clash as they snap at each other.  
Genbu then fades from view. 

> [ Scene change ] 

Takiko, dressed in her green summoning robes, exits a tent by pushing aside the flap. Wearing a smile and carrying the summoning scroll, she walks down a path past her sei.   
Hatsui is first, who bows looking serious.   
Urumiya is next; he hides a bottle behind his back and grins. He elbows the next sei in the ribs, who is Namame.   
Namame ignores Urumiya and bows to his miko with a smile.  
Uruki is up, now. She folds her arms across her chest and nods at the miko, a hint of a smile showing after Takiko passes.   
Inami is last in line and smiles with brotherly affection before turning to face the two men we now see at the end of the path. 

Takiko stops walking and stands before the two men.   
Hikitsu and Tomite kneel upon one knee before their miko, the mouth of the cave at the end of the path at their backs. They both look up, expressions fierce with pride.   
Suddenly, both glow green; one side from Hikitsu's eye, the other coming from one side of Tomite's back. 

> [ Scene changes to collective sei power examples ] 

Urumiya slashing about with a sword while wearing the armor of the Kutou army. 

Namame fades into sight. He stands firm, his arms upraised to hold clenched fists before his face. Black shadow figures, like an image blurring together, appear and then merge about his body, like a filmy armor. He drops an arm to the side to ward off a sword's blow and then lashes out with the opposite fist before fading into the next sei in the series. 

Hatsui weilding his sacrificial knife; his eyes close, his head bows and green chi explodes around him. 

Inami charges past the scene leaving echos of himself to lash out with his fists and feet. 

Takiko appears in the center of the screen as the after images of the previous four sei fade away. She holds the Shijin tenshi no sho to her chest.   
Seiryuu shichiseishi Miboshi appears and chases a smaller version of Takiko, until he catches her and spirits her away.   
Images from the following scenes now appear and fade out the last of the previous scenes. 

Uruki, looking angry, pulls two small pouches from her sleeves and throws them across the screen. She opens her mouth, looking as though she's yelling or singing, and the pouches ignite in green flames. 

A scowling Tomite appears in the center of the screen. He takes aim with his bow, the arrow within icing over. The arrow is shot at the viewers as Tomite smirks. 

Hikitsu appears behind Tomite as he fades away. His eye closes; his head bows. His hand is held vertically before his face. He ignites with chi and serpents of ice appear from behind him to follow the same path as Tomite's arrow. 

> [ Scene change ] 

The figure of Genbu appears in the background.   
The seishi begin to gather together in front of it.   
First Urumiya and Namame elbow each other until they're settled back to back and staring out at the audience.   
Next comes Inami, who looks serious as he stands beside Urumiya, but bodily facing forwards.   
Uruki follows. She stands before the three men and folds her arms over her chest, looking angry.   
A little off to the left side, appears Takiko in her real world kimono, her hands clasped before her demurely.   
From behind her suddenly appears Tomite with his hand on her shoulder.   
Hikitsu abruptly appears next to Tomite and stares straight ahead, overtop Takiko at the audience. 

> [ Scene change ] 

The words 'Fushigi Yuugi' in hiragana and kanji appear over top the Genbu background as sei and miko disappear.   
A green silk ribbon floats down from the top of the screen to settle beneath the words. Then it blows away and the screen goes black for the episode title to appear. 

   [1]: mailto:ayakashi@dog.com
   [2]: mailto:thestormprince@yahoo.com
   [3]: mailto:vivi@seiryuuu.org



	2. The Legend Begins To Move

Genbu Screen Play

**Fushigi Yuugi**: Genbu's Play  
**Written by**: _ HolyUp Chacha _  
**Brief notes**: I'm borrowing the characters that Watase Yuu originally created. Many thanks go to Udi Hoh, Chris Coyle, Jason Bere, Jarred Miller, Heather Solomon and anyone else involved with the creation or clarification behind Genbu's shichiseishi. Without them, the Genbu would be but a forgotten chapter within the pages of the Four Gods Heaven and Earth.   
Yes, this fic is written in the style of a screen play. Sorta. And, yes, it comes complete with 'background music', so to speak.  
Himiko-den's theme song: Pure Snow  
Serial Experiments Lain theme song: Duvet   
**Episode 1**: The Legend Begins to Move   


Begin...   


>   
[ The scene starts off with a large house. {{Intro the song Duvet}} A man leaves the house and walks to his car, a briefcase in hand. The camera swings about to show a dark haired girl standing at a window. Her hand presses against the glass, a sad expression on her face. The man gets in his car and we see it drive away. ] 
> 
> [ The camera switches to inside the house and is trained on the girl, watching her father drive away. {{ Duvet still plays }} The camera follows the girl as she drops her hand {{Exaggerated slowness to further the song.}} She then turns from the window, her head bowed and walks through a sparce looking living room. The camera follows, circling her as she walks, starting at her feet and swinging up to end on her face. By then, she should be standing before a large doorway. {{ Duvet Ends }} ] 
> 
> [ She enters the room. It's a large study with books stacked to the ceiling in places. There are no sounds other than the sounds of footsteps on a hardwood floor. The young woman pauses at a desk cluttered with books, papers and folders. The room is dark, lit by a single lamp in the background. ] 
> 
> Takiko: [ The girls's voice is soft, a whisper. ] "A-nou. Otousama." [The girl sighs and steps closer with a glance over her shoulder to the open door. She walks back to the door to close it. The room grows dimmer with the lack of light from the hallway. She approaches the desk again and begins to straighten out a few papers. ] 
> 
> Sound: B---ump. 
> 
> Takiko: [ The young woman widens her eyes and looks around for the source of the sound. ] ".....?" [ She sees nothing and hesitantly goes back to straightening the desk. ] 
> 
> Sound: Bum--p. Th--ud. 
> 
> Takiko: [ The young woman turns as the room suddenly rumbles and shakes. ] "What? An earthquake?" [ The room silences again. ] "Ah.. The books have all fallen over. What's this?" [ The fallen books have a red one on top. She picks up the book and opens it carefully.] "Shijin tenchi no sho." 
> 
> [ The girl sits down to read over the first page. Taiitsukun's voice is the narration as Takiko reads. ] 
> 
> Taiitsukun: "This is the story of a girl who gathered the Seven Seishi of Genbu, and acquired the power to make every wish come true. The story itself is an incantation. Whoever finishes the book shall receive this power. As soon as the page is turned, the story will become the truth and begin..." 
> 
> Takiko: "Genbu? What? Ah!" 
> 
> [ A green glow explodes from the book and envelops the young woman. She screams and disappears. The book lands on the floor and closes. ] 
> 
> [ The green light dies and Takiko is laying on her side in an alley. Her eyes open and she sits up, looking frightened. ] 
> 
> Takiko: "Anou. Where am I? What happened? The book. It glowed green and then-" 
> 
> [ {{ Start playing Pure Snow}} ] 
> 
> Soldiers: "There!" "That light came from the alley." 
> 
> [ Sounds of running can be heard and a rattling of armor. Men in scaled armor and blue feathers on their helmets run into the alley. The young woman stands up and backs against the wall. ] 
> 
> Soldier 1: "Huh?" 
> 
> Soldier 2: "What weird clothes." 
> 
> Soldier 1: "She must be a sorceress! Capture her!" 
> 
> [ An arrow suddenly embeds in one of the soldier's arms and he cries out. The young woman screams and turns to run. {{Pure Snow reaches the first place that the tempo speeds up}} She finds herself, suddenly, facing a tall man with long, stone grey hair. She lifts a hand to her mouth which is open in surprise to scream again. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "Watch it!" 
> 
> [ The soldier who'd been hit stumbles after his companion who's lunged after the young woman, sword poised to strike her down. The grey haired man lifts his right hand while his left grabs the young woman by the arm and yanks her against his chest. A serpent of ice stretches out from the man's hand and latches onto the arm of the attacking soldier. The soldier's arm immediatly is coated in ice while his arrowed companion stops in his tracks. ] 
> 
> Tomite: "Leave." 
> 
> [ A shorter, dark haired young man in a tall blue hat steps out from behind the grey haired man. A bow is strung in his hands, an arrow ready to loose. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "Kutou soldiers are not welcome here." 
> 
> [ The ice snake breaks off from the soldier's arm and he stumbles back to his injured partner who pulls the broken shaft of the dark haired youth's arrow from his arm. Both run away, supporting each other. ] 
> 
> [ {{ Second swell of music}} Hikitsu looks down at the woman pressed against his chest and releases her with a widened eye. We see now that his hair was covering an eyepatch. The young woman stumbles back, her arms tucked in against her front, her hands made into frightened fists at her chest. ] 
> 
> Tomite: [ The dark haired young man stares at the young woman and her clothes. ] "Her clothes.. That light.. You think she's the one, aniki?" 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ The stone haired man stares at the young woman's face silently, then nods to the other young man. ] "There's no doubt." 
> 
> Takiko: "........." [ The young woman takes a step back and crumples to the ground in a faint. ] 

[ Commercial break! ] 

[ Eyecatch one: SD Takiko bounces into the frame and throws herself at Tomite. She clings to his arm and grins while he blushes with a scowl on his face. ] 

[ Commercial for Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Chapter merchadise goes here. ] 

[ Eyecatch two: SD Uruki and SD Hikitsu run into the frame. Uruki grabs Takiko's arm; Hikitsu grabs Tomite's arm. The two sei try to pull Takiko and Tomite apart. The entire group ends up in a dog pile with Tomite on the bottom and looking surly. ] 

[ Commercial break over! ] 

> [ The scene begins with Takiko's scrunched up face peeking out from under a pile of furs. She opens her eyes slowly and blinks several times. The camera switches to show the world from her perspective. The world is blurry and she has to open and close her eyes several times. ] 
> 
> Takiko thinks: Where am I? I don't remember-- [ Takiko makes a quiet groan. Her hand snakes out from under the furs to touch to her head. Her vision has cleared and the camera is now angling down at her. ] Did I hit my head? 
> 
> Tomite: [ Calls out. ] "Aniki, she's awake." 
> 
> [ The camera adjusts itself, now, and angles around from the back of the room to expose everything. Tomite is sitting cross legged beside the 'bed' that Takiko lays covered in. He's restringing his bow. ] 
> 
> Tomite: You hit your head when you fainted. 
> 
> [ Tomite looks up from his bow and stares at Takiko's face for a few minutes. She stares back without saying anything. ] 
> 
> Takiko thinks: I remember now. I was reading that book and the ground shook. I remember a green light and then-- 
> 
> [ Takiko finally looks away from Tomite. She's blushing. She turns her face to stare at the ceiling again. Tomite goes back to his bow. ] 
> 
> Takiko thinks: And then I was saved from those strange men by that boy and an older man. Where am I? Is this some kind of dream? 
> 
> [ Hikitsu enters the tent. Takiko shivers from the cold, snowy air that swirls inside with the sei. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "How is she?" 
> 
> Tomite: "Awake. Her head hurts." 
> 
> Takiko: [ Blushing ] "It's fine." 
> 
> [ Takiko pushes the furs back and sits up. She smoothes her hair back from her face and then smoothes them over her kimono. She looks at Hikitsu and she looks surprised. ] 
> 
> Takiko: "You're young!" 
> 
> [ Tomite smirks and sets aside his bow. He looks at Takiko. ] 
> 
> Tomite thinks: She's a strange girl. She looks too frail to be our Miko-sama. Aniki is certain she is. This better not be a waste of time. 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ With a straight face and bland voice ] "I am only a few years older than Tomite." 
> 
> Takiko: [ Blushing ] "Your hair..." 
> 
> [ Takiko looks at Tomite. She meets his gaze and looks down at her lap. Her blush gets darker. Tomite looks away at his bow. Hikitsu stares down at Takiko. ] 
> 
> Takiko: "I'm sorry." [ She climbs to her feet and bows to Hikitsu and then Tomite. ] "Forgive me. It was presumptious and rash of me." [ Takiko looks around the tent and bites on her bottom lip. ] "Where am I? Who are you both?" 
> 
> Hikitsu: "You are in Hokkan, Miko-sama. We are your sei. I am Hikitsu and he is Tomite. We will protect you until you summon Genbuseikun. If you are ready to travel, we must go and search out the rest of your sei." 
> 
> [ Takiko stares at Hikitsu. She looks at Tomite. She laughs uneasily. ] 
> 
> Takiko: "Is this a joke? Are you friends of Suzuno-chan's? Did she think up this joke to cheer me up? Suzuno-chan?" [ Takiko begins to call for her friend. Her voice becomes panicked. ] "Suzuno! Come out! It was a good joke. See how I'm laughing?" [ Takiko laughs; she sounds hysterical. ] 
> 
> Tomite: [ Jumps to his feet. ] "Aniki!" 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ Calm and reaching for Takiko ] "Miko-sama, this isn't a joke." 
> 
> Takiko: [ Backs away from Hikitsu, towards the tent flap ] "No! Suzuno! You're carrying this joke too far! Make them stop, please, Suzuno!" 
> 
> [ Takiko's hysterical giggling has turned to frantic sobs. She backs up until she reaches the tent flap, then darts through it before Hikitsu can catch her. ] 
> 
> Tomite: Shit! She's running away! 
> 
> [ The camera follows Takiko as she runs across the ground. The world around is her is a barren, frozen wasteland with a half a foot of snow covering it. She heads for a small, forested area. Tears stream down her face as she runs. She trips over a rock and hits the ground with a bounce as she reaches the entrance to the forest. She lays there, crying quietly in the snow. ] 
> 
> [ Tomite appears on the scene, now. He runs up, looking out of breath and stops a few feet from the downed Takiko. He stares at her for a few minutes while she cries. This gives Hikitsu time to catch up with Tomite and Takiko. Hikitsu looks at Takiko and then Tomite. He puts his hand on Tomite's shoulder. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "Otouto." 
> 
> Tomite: [ Scowling ] "Damn it." 
> 
> [ Tomite steps towards Takiko. He leans over and picks her up. She's craddled in his arms like a doll. She cries into his shoulder. Tomite, with his back to Hikitsu, lets the scowl go. He gazes down at the girl in his arms. His expression is softer and sympathetic. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "Come, otouto. Let's get her out of the cold. She needs rest; we'll travel at dawn tomorrow." 
> 
> Tomite: [ Neutral voice ] "Yes, aniki." 
> 
> [ Tomite turns around, the scowl back on his face. The two walk back to the tent. {{ Cue closing music: Oh Angel.}} The scenes that follow are the closing credits with the images of Takiko reading the red book, Takiko against Hikitsu's chest while he fights with the soldiers, Takiko blushing as she looks at Tomite, Takiko running towards the forest. And, finally, the credits end with the last image: Takiko asleep with tears on her cheeks, her head against Tomite's chest. {{ Closing music ends. }} ] 


	3. When You Said You Believed

Genbu Screen Play

**Genbu: The Untold Story**   
Written by: _[HolyUp Chacha][1] _  
Thanks to _[Amiboshi][2]_ for Tomite's personality, and _[Jason Bere][3]_ for Hikitsu's personality.  
  


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**Episode 2:** When You Said You Believed   
Written by: _ HolyUp Chacha _  
Featured music: Itooshi Hito no Tameni non-lyrical mix (opening credits); Boa's Duvet (opening scene music); Fatal Fury's Oh Angel (ending theme); Yamagishi Isao's Haruka Naru Michi Tabi no Tochuu non-lyrical mix (Takiko and Tomite in danger). 

>   
[ Scene opens. The front door of the Okuda house is displayed. Footsteps can be heard as someone walks up the drive and up to the door. A young woman with light brown hair in twin braids tugs at her school uniform and then knocks on the door. The knock echoes slightly; the girl waits for someone to answer, her school bag clutched tightly with both hands. In the silence that follows, the laughter of a child can be heard in the background. It stops. ] 
> 
> Suzuno: [ Frowning ] "Takiko-chan, mou. Where are you?" 
> 
> Sound: Ru--mble. 
> 
> [ The ground shakes. The sound of something inside the house falling and breaking can be heard. ] 
> 
> Suzuno: [ Squeals ] "Shimatta..! What was that? An earthquake? Takiko-chan? Takiko-chan! Are you in there?" 
> 
> [ Suzuno begins to knock on the door again; the satchel she'd been carrying is dropped with a weighty thump. ] 
> 
> Suzuno: "Takiko-chan!" 
> 
> Sound: [ Crunch of gravel ] 
> 
> [ A car has shown up and a man with a touch of grey at his temples climbs out; Suzuno is still pounding on the door. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: [ Closes the car door ] "Oosugi-san, is there a reason you are trying to break down my door?" 
> 
> Suzuno: [ Gasps ] "Forgive me." [ Suzuno steps back from the door and bows; she picks up her satchel, but still looks worried. ] "It was the earthquake. I was worried for Takiko-chan. She isn't answering the door." 
> 
> [ Einosuke walks up to the door. There's the sound of his keys jangling as he pulls them from his coat pocket. His expression is mild and unworried. The keys are put into the lock and the door opens. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: "Earthquake? What earthquake? Hm. Takiko has been clumsy; the mirror is broken. That girl... I leave the house for a minute and see what happens." 
> 
> [ The camera swings past the concerned looking Suzuno, over Einosuke's shoulder and shows a mirror in a wooden frame on the floor beneath a bare hanger pin in the wall. The mirror is shattered diagonally. Half is on the floor; the other half is still in the frame and gleaming jaggedly. Suzuno shudders at the sight. It looks like it worries her.] 
> 
> [ Suzuno follows Einosuke into the house. ] 
> 
> Suzuno: "There was an earthquake! I felt it. I heard that mirror break. It couldn't have been Takiko-chan." 
> 
> Einosuke: [ Still sounding calm and non-plussed ] "Nonsense. There was no earthquake. You are both young ladies now, responsible for your own actions; it's time to stop making excuses for my clumsy daughter." [ Calls out ] "Takiko, Papa's home. And you have a visitor." 
> 
> Suzuno: "I'm not making excuses." [ Stomps her foot ] "I felt it. Takiko-chan! Are you home?" 
> 
> [ Silence in the house. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: [ Looking around the front hall as he slips out of his outdoor shoes into his slippers ] "Takiko? Strange. She wouldn't leave." [ He walks into the hallway and spies his open office door. ] "Ah. This is why she's not answering." 
> 
> [ Einosuke pushes open the door. Suzuno follows, but slowly. She looks angrily at Einosuke's back, saying nothing. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: "See? She's made a mess in my study. There are books all over the floor. She must have made this mess and ran to hide when she saw that I had come back." 
> 
> [ The shijin tenchi no sho lays open on the floor, a crude illustration of Takiko's sleeping face is shown on one page, words in kanji written on the other. It is generally unnoticed. Einosuke crosses over and begins to pick up the fallen books on the floor surrounding it. Suzuno watches from the doorway, a frown on her face. ] 
> 
> Suzuno: [ Insisiting ] "Takiko-chan wouldn't leave a mess; she works hard to clean the house for you." 
> 
> Einosuke: [ Lifting his head and giving Suzuno a sharp look ] "Is this how all girls talk to their elders now? It's time that you left. I will tell Takiko that you were here." 
> 
> [ Suzuno blushes. She turns around after bowing wordlessly. She leaves down the hallway. The camera stays on the door of the study until the sound of Suzuno shutting the outer door is heard. The camera swings back to Einosuke. He finishes stacking up the books. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: "What a mess. Can't that girl do anything right? She's nothing like her mother." [ The man's face is hard and disaproving. He reaches for the shijin tenchi no sho and picks it up. He eyes the exposed picture without recognition and then closes the book. He stands and then looks down at the cover as she walks towards the bookshelf with it. He pauses. ] "Shijin tenchi sho? I don't remember-- Ah, yes. The book on Chinese mythology that I was going to translate." 
> 
> [ Einosuke walks back to his desk and eases into the chair. He opens the book to the first page and sets it down. He rifles around for a pen and paper. Finding them in a desk drawer, he uncaps the pen and sets it to the paper as he begins to read silently. The pen scritches across the paper for a few moments and then it pauses. ] 
> 
> Einosuke: [ Suddenly looking incredulous. ] "...Takiko?!" 

[ Commercial break! ] 

[ Eyecatch one: SD Takiko is sitting on the ground with SD Inami. She laughs delightedly as a rabbit runs by. SD Tomite appears as he chases after the rabbit, his bow drawn. Takiko bursts into tears. Inami trips Tomite, who faceplants into the ground. The rabbit gets away. ] 

[ Commercial for Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Chapter merchadise goes here. ] 

[ Eyecatch two: SD Tomite and SD Inami are arguing, their arms flailing at each other. SD Uruki runs across the screen and throws herself at SD Tomite. Tomite sidesteps and Uruki smacks into Inami, taking them both down. ] 

[ Commercial break over! ] 

> [ New scene: the trio have been travelling for several days now. They're coming up upon a village that can be seen as the camera sweeps around the landscape. The camera then settles on the trio themselves for closer profile shots. ] 
> 
> [ Takiko is perched upon a horse and wrapped within a grey hooded cloak. She looks tired and can barely keep her eyes open. Her eyes close, finally. There's a person seated behind her. It's Tomite. He has one arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling from the horse in her fatigue. The other hand clutches tightly to a set of reigns as he controls the horse's walking direction. ] 
> 
> Tomite: [ Sounding angry ] "This is stupid, aniki." [ The boy looks over to the grey haired young man riding a horse alongside him. ] "Look at her. She's too exhausted to even stay awake. Another week's travel is going to kill her. This girl can't be our miko." 
> 
> [ Hikitsu, the man with the long grey hair, has his gaze ahead and upon the path that the trio follows. He doesn't look at Tomite when he speaks. His expression remains blank. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: "She is Genbu no Miko. Taiitsukun told us that a girl would arrive when Hokkankoku needed her most, bathed in the green aura of Genbu, and she would need us to protect her. The girl will in turn call upon Genbu himself and save the people of the north from destruction." 
> 
> [ Takiko has awoken again. She stays still and make believes that she's still asleep, ashamed to let on that she's now eavesdropping. ] 
> 
> Tomite: [ Mutters ] "You seriously believe this bullshit, don't you? Damnit, aniki, she's just a girl. She's too frail to travel well and look at the clothes she was wearing when we found her! She would have frozen to death on her own. I say she's a girl who stowed away on a ship from Konankoku, just so she could have a little adventure on her own before her father sold her off to some farmer. And now she's too stubborn to admit it, so we're forced to take care of her. I say we leave her at the next village and let them deal with her." 
> 
> Takiko thinks: His arm is holding onto me so tightly. Tomite... My body is so cold, but my heart is warm. But, is this what he really thinks of me? Does he really think that I'm a liar? I don't know why I'm here, or what they think I am-- Why does my chest hurt when I think that Tomite believes that I'm a liar? 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ His voice dull ] "If your theory is true, then we'll protect her until we find out the truth. Taiitsukun will tell us her story. But... I believe in her, Tomite. I believe that she's the one. How can I not?" 
> 
> Takiko thinks: Hikitsu believes in me. His words make me feel so strong. My face is growing hot. Am I blushing? Can they see it? Oh, Suzuno, I want to be back home with you. Are you looking for me? Please, please find me. 
> 
> [ Tomite shakes his head. His arm adjusts around Takiko's waist and lifts for a moment to carefully adjust the hood around her face. His angry expression is replaced by one of gentle caring to contrast the angry voice over from his thoughts. ] 
> 
> Tomite thinks: I thought protecting this girl would be stupid, a waste of time. [ Tomite's dark skinned cheeks pinken suddenly. ]  Then why do I feel so strangely and why do I still remember holding her to me while she cried? Why? Takiko... Stay out of my thoughts. A stupid, meddlesome girl. You can't be the one. 
> 
> Tomite: [ His voice is strangely hesitant. ] "Aniki, I--" [ His hand brushes against Takiko's blushing cheek as he finishes straightening her hood. He now sounds startled. ] "Aniki! Her face, it's warm. She's fevered!" [ Tomite jerks on his horse's reigns and the beast stops with a snort and a head toss. ] 
> 
> [ Hikitsu turns his head to look over at the duo, pausing his horse. Takiko's blush darkens. Hikitsu lifts an eyebrow above the eyepatch he wears over one of his eyes and looks vaguely amused by the mutual blushing. ] "Only if words can cause sickness, otouto. Perhaps the next time we speak, we make certain that our charge is asleep." 
> 
> Tomite: [ Looking surprised. ] "What?" 
> 
> [ Takiko lifts her hand and pushes back the hood hiding her blushing face from Tomite. She looks ashamed; her expression is unhappy as she twists in the saddle to look up into Tomite's surprised looking face. Tomite's cheeks are very red despite his dark skin. ] 
> 
> Takiko: [ Sounding hurt. ] "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to deceive you, but I just wanted to hear what you thought about me. You think I'm a liar." 
> 
> Tomite: [ Looking defensive. ] "Aren't you?! You expect us to believe that you, a... a... a frail girl are truly the woman Genbu has chosen to save our country? You're weak. You have no business being here!" 
> 
> Hikitsu: "Tomite! That's enough!" 
> 
> Takiko: [ Buries her face in her hands; she's crying. ] "I never wanted to come to this cruel place. I just want to go home. I want to go home!" 
> 
> [ With Takiko's impassioned final cry, fade in the background song of 'Haruka naru Michi wa Tabi no Tochuu' non-lyrical mix; the wind picks up while the song plays and Takiko's sobs increase in volume. Tomite, who looks uncomfortable, tries to calm his horse as it grows aggitated by the sudden wind and emotional outburst by Takiko. ] 
> 
> Takiko: "I want to go HOME!" 
> 
> [ Green light explodes from around Takiko and streaks upwards into the sky in a thick column. Tomite's horse spooks and rears up, throwing both riders off. Hikitsu tries unsuccessfully to grab the horse's reigns before both Tomite and Takiko are thrown. Takiko screams. Tomite holds tight to Takiko and pulls her in against his chest. He manages to land on the ground on his back with Takiko on top. He then rolls over to shield Takiko with his body as the horse kicks and bucks above them. ] 
> 
> Tomite: "Ani--!" 
> 
> [ Tomite's cry for Hikitsu is cut off as the horse kicks him in the shoulder, silencing him with a grimace and making him huddle all the more closely over Takiko's frightened body. ] 
> 
> Takiko: [ Screaming. ] "Tomite! Oh-- oh, god. Someone help!" [ Again, the green light beams up into the air from around Takiko's body, this time enveloping both herself and Tomite. The horse's eyes roll back and it rears up with a frightened, ear piercing shriek. The light dies as Takiko passes out. ] 
> 
> Tomite: "Takiko... Takiko!" 
> 
> Tomite thinks:  Takiko. I don't care if she's lying or not. I just want to protect her. But, that light! Does she really have Genbu's blessing? Is she capable of weilding Genbu's power? Was I wrong..? 
> 
> [ Hikitsu has since been trying to get near the rearing horse without being kicked senseless. Now his patch over his eye has come free and the symbol imprinted atop his eye glares with Genbu's green light, matching the light that had come from the panicked Takiko. His hand lifts, an arcing ice snake already forming outwards from his extended palm in order to strike the horse dead before it can kill the two on the ground. ] 
> 
> Sound: B--oom! Fw---oom! 
> 
> [ Hikitsu watches as a pouch lands on the horse's rump and explode. The horse shrieks its pain and wheels about on its hind quarters without striking the final, however unintentional blow, on Tomite and Takiko. The horse then collapses, its back legs giving out on it. It lays there, a few feet away from Tomite and Takiko, its sides heaving and mouth forthy. ] 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ Turning towards a shadowy figure seen several yards away. ]"You..." 
> 
> [ The woman is cloaked with a hood hiding her features. In one of her hands in another pouch. From inside the cloak comes a green light, mirroring the one coming from Hikitsu's eye. ] 
> 
> [ Tomite is now standing, protectively cuddling the dusty, unconscious Takiko to himself, despite the grimace of pain in his closed eye and mouth from where the horse kicked him. ] 
> 
> Tomite: "A-aniki..!" 
> 
> Hikitsu: [ Nods his head towards the figure. ] 
> 
> Figure: [ Wryly. ] "I was told she had arrived. I see I'm just in time. Taiitsukun sent me to lead you to Mount Black." 
> 
> Hikitsu:  "Taiitsukun. Then you are... she?" 
> 
> Figure: [ Drawing back her hood to reveal the youthful face of a long haired maiden. ] "Yes. Genbu shichiseishi Uruki." 
> 
> [ Fade out the background song of 'Haruka naru Michi wa Tabi no Tochuu' non-lyrical mix. Cue closing music: Oh Angel. The scenes that follow are the closing credits with the images of Takiko being seated on the horse with Tomite, Suzuno arguing with Einosuke, Hikitsu's amused face, the horse rearing up over Tomite and Takiko. And, finally, the credits end with the last image: Takiko craddled against Tomite while he and Hikitsu stare at the newly introduced Uruki. Closing music ends. Fade to black. ] 

   [1]: mailto:ayakashi@dog.com
   [2]: mailto:amiboshi@fushigiyuugi.net
   [3]: mailto:jmbere@interlog.net



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